Best multi battery light

[eyeeatingfish]

I began thinking about this when contemplating buying a lumapower d-mini.
This light can run off an 18650, a rcr123, a 123A, and 2x AA batteries if you buy the various tubes.

I was wondering if there are any other lights out there that do this, and if there are any that do it better? There are lots of lights that will take 123A and 18650 but im not really concerned about those. I like that the mini can take AA batteries because you can always find AA batteries. Heck a c battery capability would be pretty cool too.
Any american flashlights that do this? Id rather support locally made stuff in the bad economic times.

 

[deranged_coder]

I don't know about "best" but some other lights I know of that can take multiple battery types are:

• Fenix L1D/L2D/P2D - same head, different battery tubes for 1xAA, 2xAA and 1xCR123 respectively. Just search the forums for "Fenix Lego" and you will find a lot on this.
• Gerber Omnivore / Option 50 / Option 60 - can take AAA, AA or CR123 batteries.
• JetBeam Jet-II has an available AA battery tube.

If you want to look into custom lights, the Draco and the La Petite Killer have AAA extension tubes (modamag and PhotonFanatic are based in the US so I suppose they would count as American flashlight makers).

 

[Gunner12]

There are many parts available for the Surefire lights. With a Leef tube and adapter or if needed they can run off a 18650 battery. AAs might be possible with the right tube length, and the right driver.

HDS's EDC lights had 2AA, and 18650 tubes too.

 

[erlon]

There´s some Romisen that can run with 1 x 18650 or 2 x (R)CR123A / 16340 or 3 x AAA without change tubes, just using the adaptors that came with the light.

RC-U4 and RC-K4 if I remember well.

I´ve already had both and can say that they are nice for their price.

Regards.

 

[deranged_coder]

Just remembered, the Olight T10/T15 use the same head but the T10 has the 1xCR123A tube and the T15 has the 1xAA tube (eLiteLED has a combo where you can get the T15-Q5 and a T10 battery tube).

 

[nightshade]

Peak Led Solutions can make some very affordable and durable multi-battery platforms. I prefer a direct drive set-up with different tubes. A different Peak light: http://www.peakledsolutions.net/Products/First_Respsponder_HA.html

The notorious Doug Speck made a amazing Universal Battery Holder:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/d.speck/UBH-Infopage/
I would NOT attempt to purchase from the link page. A very versatile device.I have managed to MacGyver LR-44 batteries to run a SF KL1.

I still love my modded Arc LS for multi battery support, but the UBH and a few Surefire heads are the bomb, in my opinion.

The Gerber Omnivore is another nice solution, but construction is nothing special.

Just a few suggestions, I like options.

 

[eyeeatingfish]

So how does everyone think these compare to the lumapower d-mini?

The surefire option seems interesting. Would the surefire 6P LED run off of only 3.0 volts from 2 AA batteries?

I didnt see any other tubes available on the HDS website.

 

[gswitter]

If you want ultimate flexibility, I'd go with a Malkoff M30, or an E-series head based on a MadMax (0.8-5.0V) or other converter with similar input voltage range. With all the available Surefire compatible bodies and adapters, we could easily come up with dozens of cell options. Off the top of my head:

CR2, CR123A, RCR2, RCR123A, 14500, 17500, 18500, 17670, 18650, AW "C", AA, 2AA, 3AA, etc.
​

And those are just the cells for which there are intended, available bodies. There's plenty of other cell sizes that could easily fit in existing bodies (with or without spacers), especially NiMH and NiCad:

A, 2/3A, 4/5A, 4/3A, C, SubC, etc.​

 

[eyeeatingfish]

What bodies are these that would hold c cells, aa cells, cr123 cells and 18650 cells and fit on surefire heads?
Madmax convertor? I gotta build my own light?

 

[metlarules]

If you want ultimate flexibility, I'd go with a Malkoff M30, or an E-series head based on a MadMax (0.8-5.0V) or other converter with similar input voltage range. With all the available Surefire compatible bodies and adapters, we could easily come up with dozens of cell options. Off the top of my head:

CR2, CR123A, RCR2, RCR123A, 14500, 17500, 18500, 17670, 18650, AW "C", AA, 2AA, 3AA, etc.
​

And those are just the cells for which there are intended, available bodies. There's plenty of other cell sizes that could easily fit in existing bodies (with or without spacers), especially NiMH and NiCad:

A, 2/3A, 4/5A, 4/3A, C, SubC, etc.
​

I have a Surefire 6p with a Malkoff m30wf. I have run it off of aa(1,2,and 3),cr123,rcr123,17670,18650,4/3a(1,and 2),4/3af(1,and 2),4/5a(1,and 2) It is quite the versitile light.

 

[Gunner12]

I didnt see any other tubes available on the HDS website.

They haven't been made in a while. If you are patient enough, one or two might pop up in the B/S/T.

 

[gswitter]

What bodies are these that would hold c cells, aa cells, cr123 cells and 18650 cells and fit on surefire heads?

There isn't a single body that will handle all of those, but - like the D-mini - you can swap bodies. Look around in the Custom & Mod B/S/T and you'll see a lot of them. Lately, it seems like fivemega has been churning out a new Surefire-compatible body (or bodies) almost weekly.

Madmax convertor? I gotta build my own light?

If you're so inclined. Or just buy and exiting head or drop-in with a similar input voltage range.

 

[eyeeatingfish]

I have a Surefire 6p with a Malkoff m30wf. I have run it off of aa(1,2,and 3),cr123,rcr123,17670,18650,4/3a(1,and 2),4/3af(1,and 2),4/5a(1,and 2) It is quite the versitile light.

How do you fit AA batteries inside a 6p???
So this malkof allow you to run at different voltages?


So what do you guys think about the d-mini though?

 

[kramer5150]

How do you fit AA batteries inside a 6p???
So this malkof allow you to run at different voltages?

The 6P with a single cell extension will fit 2xAA. You can also fit 2AA in a 9P... FWIW

 

[kosPap]

well you get a 6P and a 1 cell extension tube... 3 CR123s are about 2 AAs...

So if you get a M30 you can run it on the AA, 1xCR123, 1 x Li-Ion rechargable. No 2xCR123

 

[eyeeatingfish]

Who has these single cell extensions?

 

[kosPap]

the chinese compatible almost anyone...Lighthound, DX, KD, Ebay...

Do not know about the Surefire ones....

 

[eyeeatingfish]

I checked lighthound.com
I found solarforce body parts for surefires. Does anyone know if solarforce makes good stuff?

Maybe all this trouble is not worth it and I should just buy the d-mini? Plus they are supposed to be comming out with a new one sometime sooner or later.
I just like to buy american.

 

[kosPap]

Solarforce is building good things for the Chibese standards..Many members here use their flashlight bodies and head....

Fit and finish is good....the doamond shaped pattern is more pronounced than SF though (search my earlier post for a similar reply to another member)